Stakeholders of AIESEC in India: Globalising Workforce and Being Truly Awesome

As AIESECers, one thing our youth oriented leadership body diligently engages in earning the trust of our stakeholders before engaging their support. With the distinct business model we run, a lot of our thoughts become things due to the dire support we receive from our clients to deliver a groundbreaking impact each year. Whether you call it reaching the unreachable stars or fighting an unbeatable foe, looking up to our clients for the same is what we do.

In order to truly commemorate the relationship we share with our stakeholders and to express our gratitude for the massive support we receive, AIESEC in India has been hosting its Annual Stakeholder Dinner every year. We engage our patrons through a gala convening and indulging into conversations while everyone takes a thought back home.

 

Who are our stakeholders?
Our stakeholders come from various backgrounds. There are clients from NGOs to start ups to corporate companies. There are sponsors of the impact based events we do around the country and principals from universities who send their students for a power packed leadership experience. All help serve the purpose of delivering the cross-cultural exchanges we do by globalising their workforce.


Why Annual Stakeholder Dinner?
What we essentially try to convey through our communication and have always actively tried to propagate is why youth activation is the need of the hour. We deliberate over our organisation which has a diverse set of young individuals from around the world making history, delivering exchanges and setting a benchmark of an impact that is impossible to achieve without the enablers.

Every company, every client that harnesses our opportunities is an enabler of impact, an enabler of leadership. And the idea we have all been delighted to celebrate is the proliferation of leadership in youth as we endorse the imagination of witnessing a world full of leaders and positive influence around us.


Who is attending the gala?
This year, among our esteemed stakeholders, a few notable people who would be joining our celebration would be Ms. Dia Mirza, Mr. Ronnie Screwvala, Ms. Tanya Dubash, Mr. Mukund Rajan, Ms. Trisha Shetty, Mr. Atul Kasbekar, Mr. Afroz Shah and many others. Keynote speakers being Mr. Akshay Nambiar, the President of AIESEC India and Mr. Ishteyaque Amjad, VP Public Affairs & Communication, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia followed by a panel discussion and a networking space in the dinner.

As Anodea Judith smartly said “We are moving from a chain of command to a web of connection, from competition to collaboration, from markets to networks and stockholders to stakeholders, and greed to green.We like to be the ambassadors of the same.

 

AIESEC in India has the privilege to have some of the biggest personalities in business and leadership on the Board of Advisors for the National office. Their guidance and support have been unique in driving our organisation forward.
Mr. Ronnie Screwvala is an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the cofounder of UpGrad, an online education company. He was the founder and CEO of UTV Group and was the Managing Director of UTV India, Managing Trustee of the Swades Foundation and Founder & Advisor: at Unilazer Ventures Ltd. Here is what he has to say about his experience with AIESEC as one of our esteemed partners.

You can find out more about how you can engage with us as a stakeholder here: https://partners.aiesec.org/

 

 

7 Ways to Volunteer Abroad on a Low Budget

How many times have you thought or wished to volunteer abroad and become an agent of change only to step back as soon as you thought of the expenses?

With AIESEC, you can put these problems to rest and take up an opportunity to volunteer abroad in a way which won’t dig a hole too deep your pocket.

Our Global Volunteer program provides young individuals a chance to be the change as they step out of their comfort zone and take proactive steps to work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals in a country which is foreign to them. With 125+ countries and a vast range of volunteer programs ranging from teaching to gender equality to sanitation to explore; the world is your oyster.

  1. Planning is the key

First things first, it is important for you to plan your budget and set a limit for yourself, so you don’t go overboard with it. Prepare a proper checklist and devise an estimate budget for every expenditure that you may have to incur. Try and set an upper and/or buffer limit for your budget as well. Planning beforehand will help you get a rough idea about your expenses and then you may as well be able to come up with ways to minimize your expenditure. You may wish to plan your trip during off season and book your tickets well in advance to save a few bucks there as well.

  1. Making informed decisions

Believe it or not but you can bring about a huge difference in your expenses by choosing the right country. Do your research well and decide which country will complement your budget. Look for projects which provide the best and the most cost-effective facilities on the AIESEC Opportunity Portal. Many projects even provide free meals and accommodation! Speak to the AIESEC representatives in your city, who will be able to assist you better or visit the AIESEC India website for more details.

  1. Global Host

Try and opt for Global Host over hostels and apartments to get a chance to experience the country in its most authentic and natural form. You will spend your days and engage with the locals of that place and learn the tricks and trades of your country from the local themselves. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to experience and savor the culture, heritage, and ethnicity of the country even within the four walls of the house which doesn’t come with a hefty price tag.

  1. Save a few bucks with referral schemes

AIESEC has several referral schemes which will enable you to get great discounts such as convincing your friends to go for volunteer projects with you. Speak to the AIESEC representatives in your city to know more about these schemes and discounts and make the most of it.

  1. Go Local

Manage your expenses by adopting cost effective techniques such as trusting the locals and living like them by choosing street food or cooking instead of eating at restaurants. This will not only help you manage your expenses but also help you realize your hidden talent of cooking! Make sure you even explore the hidden gems of the country such as flea markets or street food stalls to have a complete experience as well as to go light on your pocket.

  1. Embrace public transport

Choose public transport or decide to give your body a change by choosing to travel on foot to reduce cost. This will give you a chance to completely soak in the experience of travelling in a different country as you interact with the locals, try to decipher their language and communicate with them and observe and savor the things that are unique to that country.

  1. Find Student Discounts

Student cards are incredible. Did you know that you can get discounts at more than 125,000 places in 133 countries around the world? With flash sales on transatlantic flights for $99, a whopping 35 percent discount on Eurail, and so much more, your student card is a savior. Sometimes you can travel with the university card issued by your school/college/university but it’s not a guarantee. The gold standard is the International Student Identity Card (a.k.a. the ISIC). This handy little card will save you cash anywhere on earth!

Now is the time for change; now is the time for you to be the change by stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring and realizing your potential only to impact and improve lives. So, what are you waiting for? Take the leap of faith, trust your gut and get, set, packing! Book your tickets and pack your bag to experience the best few weeks of your life!

Sign up as a Global Volunteer today!

The Magic in India’s Teardrop

You might reckon Sri Lanka has been hiding in plain sight! Seemingly a teardrop falling off the Indian peninsula due to its position and shape, innumerable travelers have passed overhead on their way to someplace else, but years of ambiguity kept it off many itineraries. Positioned between the more trodden parts of India and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka’s history, culture and natural beauty are indisputably enthralling. It’s the place you haven’t been to yet, that you should.

Countless Adventures

Hardly any places have as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites (eight) packed into such a small piece of land. Fabled temples sheltered in caves or perch or prominent peaks boast of stunning details and lead to the remarkable Sri Lankan culture that spans over 2000 years. Safari tours of the amusingly tranquil national parks encounter leopards, water buffaloes, plethora of birds and a passel of primates. To an outsider’s astonishment, the thing that seems to be a bump in the night might be an elephant heading to a favorite waterhole.

Convenient Travelling

Distances are short and transport options are plentiful. You might encounter numerous marvels of colonial architecture just during a brisk walk around the city of Colombo. Moreover, the best way to travel around the country is by a train. Nothing can match the experience of riding a slow-moving train through Sri Lanka’s scenic hill countryside and it doesn’t even come with a mighty price tag.

Understand the Culture

At its closest point, only 18 miles of aquamarine waters separate Sri Lanka and India but there’s a world of difference between the two. The pace of life in Sri Lanka feels much less frantic than that of its neighbor, which makes it ideal for those intrigued, yet intimidated by life in India.

Societal Disturbances

This is a country which built itself from the ground up after a civil war that left it in turmoil. With reducing dependence on agriculture and rising urbanization, the Sri Lankan economy is thriving. However, the dark clouds of social injustice, child rights, corruption, gender inequality, political malpractices, environmental concerns, etc. still pose a question on the country’s upbeat and prosperous days ahead.

Volunteer projects run by AIESEC here create a huge impact in terms of societal development as wider perspectives from across the world come into action and create an amalgamation that takes on the deleterious remains of the civil war. In the process, volunteers grow and gain from experiences that change their outlook about themselves and their lives and each one of them thrives to contribute towards the impact.

If you are willing to create a significant impact and at the same time, drown yourself in the natural splendor around, Sri Lanka is the apt destination for you. This awe-inspiring island nation could gain a lot from your contribution and desire to lead and change the world. The experiences on offer here are magnificent and lend you with plentiful chances to find the magic in you. You’re always just a short hop from something utterly new!

Sri Lanka is spectacular, affordable and still often uncrowded. Now is the best time to discover it. Sign up as a Global Volunteer today!

Things we wish the school would have taught us

Until now, most of us might have realized that we’ve been utilizing less and less of what we learned in school . There are number of aptitudes that are essential to progress which were never at any point offered in school!

The History, English, Biology and Material Science? Besides giving us a general understanding of the world and influencing us to sound intellectual at parties, most of us can’t consider anything in there that we truly use on everyday basis. Today we live in a world that is full of tension, anxiety and stress. Most of the people are unhappy because of some or the other things. Our happiness has become dependent. But to be honest,  

Our happiness is our choice.

Yes! Joyfulness is a perspective and your perspective is your responsibility. Our Joy isn’t dependent on some other person, our connections improves our lives however they don’t make us happy. WE DO. By happiness, let’s come to a very affirmative word known as

Positivity,

Our positive attitude is a guide to our positive life, it brings us millions of positive opportunities. Hardships are just to make us strong and to make us realize the value of small admirable things but if we don’t challenge those hardships with a positive attitude, that’s when we actually start failing.  But failure doesn’t stand for not getting good grades, because schools never thought about

Prioritising learning over grades.

A large portion of us generally felt that grades were inconceivably important. While this is valid, grades aren’t the main thing you need to land a position or get through life. Now, on the grounds that they aren’t everything doesn’t impliy that you should avoid each one of those irritating classes and still be alright. They aren’t an impression of capacity or knowledge yet, they are an impression of hard work!
Prioritising learning over evaluations is vital to progress. Learning also implies on learning skills of Adaptation, because today,

Adaptation is necessary for survival.  

We learned that animals adapt according to climatic changes but same goes for human. In a world full of Global Warming, Ozone Depletion, Pollution, we need to adapt. We all know we need to work on it for sustainability but we need to adapt as well. We need to adapt with the new innovations in technology to survive in a corporate world. It’s difficult to survive without Networking and Upgraded technology. Imagine a person still using floppy disk?
And the most important thing,

Be yourself.

The world we live in, tries to transform us into something we are most certainly not. There are number of gauges about the way we should talk, carry on and look. Express, and have confidence in your own self. Try not to go out and search for a successful personality and copy it. Being certain is the way to life. Try not to be hesitant to be you!
You might not be like as many individuals around you, with your own style and identity, and be okay with it. If you are okay with it, the world will be too.

 

But, as it is said, better late than never. So what if we tell you that there’s still a classroom where we can learn the most important chapters of our life book, a classroom beyond the 4 walls, a classroom full of students who don’t compete but join hands together to make a change for better future.
LET’S BE A GLOBAL LEADER, LET’S BE A
GLOBAL VOLUNTEER.

Sign Up Today!

Bahrain at Its Best

In a world dominated by superpowers like the United States of America or China, one tends to turn a blind eye to certain remarkable realms of the world thereby depriving oneself of the virtue of understanding different cultures and beliefs.

Little do people know that among the fastest growing economies in the Arab world, Bahrain is also the smallest among the Arabian countries. The name ‘Bahrain’ means Two Seas, which is attributed to the sweet water springs and salty water in the seas that surrounds the island country.

Bahrain is undoubtedly the ideal destination for anyone who has been bitten by the bug of wanderlust. Experience the country’s rich culture, tradition, and heritage at the Bahrain National Museum and Qal’at Al Bahrain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site or indulge with the extravagance that is on offer at the Lunar Fest or the full moon party on Al Dar Islands.

Unlike popular belief that Bahrain is a conservative country with several rules and regulations, the country with its increasing tourism is taking strides towards a liberal mindset and growth with its nightlife experiences.

Garden of Eden to Fish Eye to Black Gold

The burial mounds that cover about 5% of the island signify that people who took such sophisticated care of their dead were equally cultured in matters of life. Being at the epicenter of the illustrious empire of Dilmun, the residents were not only engaged with matters of trade but were similarly considerate on the social front.

Pearling, that played a crucial role in the country’s contemporary embodiment turned out to be a shortcoming as well, as it attracted the dominating powers of Europe looking to establish themselves here. In the middle of the dessert, lies the spot where Arabs discovered what was going to change the balance of power in the world. With the discovery of oil in 1932, the nation led the way to steer a course of swift modernization in the region.

Bahrain Essentials

It is a shame if you visit Bahrain and do not visit the Bahrain National Museum which offers an introduction to the history of the country or the Bahrain National Theatre, which is the third-largest theatre in the Middle East. Other attractions include the Al Fatih Mosque, which is the largest mosque in the country; Busaad Art Gallery, which is the former home of and showcases the work of Ebrahim Mohamed Busaad; Spice and Gold Souq; and eateries like Haji Gahwa, famous for its biryanis, and Isfahani, known for its pocket-friendly Iranian food.

Bahrain Aesthetics

The people in Bahrain are widely known for their artistic temperament and craftsmanship. The poets of Bahrain are known for their poetic verses as well as their exploration of new themes. Births and marriages are celebrated on a wide scale.

Khaleeji, a style of Arab folk music influenced by the music of Africa is very popular in the country along with Liwa, a type of music and dance performed in communities with descendants of East Africans, such as Muharraq and Hidd.

Festivals like Ramadan, Nasfa, and Habiba are also widely celebrated.

A Heaven of Food

Traditional Bahraini food consists of fish, meat, rice, and dates which make up the famous dishes such as biryani, harees, machboos, mahyawa, maglooba, and zalabia. Qahwah is the national beverage. Much of the cuisine of Bahrain is a mixture of Arabic, Persian, Indian, Balochi, African, Far East and European food due to the influence of the various communities present as Bahrain was an important sea port and trading junction since ancient times.

The Uprising

The Bahraini uprising, also known as the 14th February Uprising or Pearl Uprising was a significant event in the history of the country. It was a series of anti-government protests led by the Shia-dominant Bahraini Opposition from 2011 until 2014. The roots of the uprising date back to the beginning of the 20th century where the Bahraini people have actively taken part in protests and demonstrations demanding social, economic, and political rights. The people sought for democracy and an end to the discrimination against the Shia muslim community.

If you truly have been bitten by the wanderlust bug, then a week-long stay at a holiday resort just won’t cut it for you. You can’t really experience a country from a superficial visit to its most famous tourist spots. Volunteering is a great way through which you can experience the true essence of the culture and create an impact at the same time.

There are always certain underlying issues that the locals struggle with every day and all they require is a few great volunteers that are ready to change the world.

You can use your personal experience and skills to help young Bahrainis improve their capacities. Gender equality is one of very important topics in the country which you can work towards as it is an integral part of a democratic setup. While the world may be at the edge of climate change, Bahrain is one of the countries that suffer under pollution. You can become a part of the project that supports raising awareness and promotion of a safe ecological environment in the country.

Sign up as a Global Volunteer today and live the impact in the Kingdom of Mystery!